End of Watch Option #1 “Rhetoric of Space”

End of Watch

Option #1 “Rhetoric of Space”

            End of watch is a riveting action thriller that puts audiences at the center of the chase.  This film is a compelling buddy cop movie that shows the hardships and daily lives of two LAPD partners.  End of Watch is grounded in the everyday relationships and very real feelings between cops.  This film is personal; we rely on the police and they in turn rely on each other.

            End of Watch is a buddy cop movie made in 2012, directed by David Ayer.  David Ayer wrote Training Day, another LAPD thriller film.  This film is starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Brian Taylor and Michael Pena as Mike Zavala, who are partners in the South Central, Los Angeles Police Department.  Director David Ayer tells his story through these two men as he grew up in L.A. and joined the Navy early on.  These two police officers spend most of their time in their assigned ford police interceptor.  The partners eat, sleep, and talk about their private lives in this squad car.  They depend on each other as much as they depend on their police cruiser.  This is a film propelled by the strength of its characters and how they relate to each other and their world.  This film takes you inside the South Central LAPD as Brian videotapes their days on the job for a project in his pre-law class.

            End of Watch is centered around two police partners.  The ford squad car in this movie argues a generalization of policemen, as they all must experience what these men did.  There is nothing unique or flashy (aside from the lights) about the car that these men ride around in.  The car my not be exclusive but it hold everything these men need for survival in the ghetto of L.A.  The squad car in this film sets an exciting mood when, the officers go on pursuit.  The mood in the police car can also be relaxed as the two men swap stories and converse about their problems.  The car is not only part of their job but their time-out as well.  The men become good friends in this squad car.  At the same time these police officers roam the streets of L.A. in this car.  The partners and their squad car tell the tale of what current day police officers of Los Angeles really experience. 

The hand held camera work in the squad car gives the effect of actually riding around with the two police officers.  “Personal experience carefully reported can also support a claim convincingly” (Lunsford 83).  This film has some similar elements of other police movies directed by David Ayer.  If the viewer enjoyed other movies by David Ayer, they may appreciate this film.  This is an appeal to consistency or logos.  As I mentioned earlier, there is nothing unique about the squad car these men drive everyday.  These police partners come off as genuine and reliable.  They are men you would want patrolling your city or neighborhood.  They receive creditability as you experience first hand what these men go through.  This provides an argument of credibility or ethos.  In End of Watch you can really feel the chemistry between these two actors.  These men become like brothers to each other in the film.  Some of the scenes in this film are moving, like during Brian’s wedding or when one of the men gets shot.  “If you strike the right emotional note, you’ll establish an important connection” (Lunsford 44).  This works to add the strongest argument in the film; an argument of emotion or pathos to the film.  “Emotional appeals (sometimes called appeals to pathos) are powerful tools for influencing what people think and believe” (Lunsford 38).

            As these two men cruise around L.A. the viewer observes the local culture.  The two partners are forced to deal with different gangs and cartels in this film.  However, most of the time they interact with the gang members without leaving their squad car.  The patrol car provides a wedge or buffer between the law enforcers and the lawless.  The squad car acts as a refuge that these police officers can always fall back to.      

                                     

            In conclusion, End of Watch is a great buddy cop movie, full of action and drama.  This film has a heart felt story and unique camera work to tell the LAPD perspective.  End of Watch makes an impact, stressing the important need to recognize that there are real people out there who risk their lives for all of us, each and every day.  Behind every cop is a loyal squad car to shield them and get them out of harms way.  Overall I give this film four out of five slurpees because of some lackluster acting on the part of some of the bad guys. 

           

            “We stand watch together.  The thin-blue-line, protecting the prey from the predators, the good from the bad. We are the police” (End of Watch).

Works Cited

Lunsford, Andrea. Ruskiewicz, John. Walters, Keith. Everything’s An Argument with readings.  2010. Pg. 18.